crystal-lee

Excuse me while I get a little bit teary over here! What a kind thing to do for an old gal over here back in her DWP community feels. 😭

This is genuinely the nicest compliment you could have given me. Videos have always been my favorite thing to contribute to a fandom. I began editing professionally about 15 years ago and realized that I don’t like editing professionally because it isn’t my choice of what I can create. It’s a totally different vibe making something you have to do, versus something you desperately feel you must make or you will perish.

If producers aren’t going to make our gals gay, then I simply must. My hands are absolutely tied on that one.

Anyways, again, this is genuinely the nicest thing — you absolutely could have scrolled on but instead you sent this delightful message and changed the trajectory of my whole day.

Just so you know, with you being such a big part of my DWP experience back in the day, I’d love to hear what you thought of The Devil Wears Prada 2, especially with its very mixed reviews from fans.

I hope you’re well and I look forward to possibly hearing by what you think ☺️

You have no idea what it did for me to have you say I was part of your DWP experience. Generally so touched! I loved being part of that fandom - particularly in the Livejournal days. We were all truly living then weren’t we? Take me back pre-Lezziemanville to the Kitnkabootle days!

For the most part, I loved the movie.

I found the character jumps a little jarring at first. I didn’t want Miranda to talk so much. Or to be at her summer home all giddy. I know it probably sounds weird because while I saw what they were doing — showing us the characters on the other side of lived experiences — I wanted to see the same ones from before: Terrifying Miranda, floundering Andy.

The movie needed about 90% less boyfriend dialogue and I didn’t like Emily’s arc…

But overall I did love to see my girls again! The end felt like they landed the plane. Miranda and Andy were never going to be canonically a safe team. The power dynamics weren’t ever even. But I like it that way. I never wanted them to get married, and take the kids to the beach for the weekend. I wanted that weird, off-footed predator/prey thing they’ve always had going. Don’t get too comfortable, someone’s going to get hurt. They gave us that continued dynamic canonically.

What’s probably the most weird thing to admit, is that I hadn’t been craving the sequel at all.

Over the years, I’ve read DWP 2 in so many iterations: @chilly-flame , @ubiquitousmixie , @telanu, the authors of one shots, of AUs, of works four times longer than the original film script. The gift all these people shared with each other gave us the continuing story.

DWP2 just feels like icing on the cake.

Thank you @applebottomclaudiajeans for the fun! I’ve not revisited my fanfic in a long time, and never even knew about fic stats until today. I so appreciate this!

Most hits: Indisposed (Miranda/Andy DWP) 25,732 hits

This was the first Devil Wears Prada fic I ever wrote. It took off so fast and I had so much support from the lovely Livejournal community, that it inspired me to believe in my own writing. I’m much too shy to attempt to re-read it now at the ripe old age of 40, but I’m happy it brought so many people joy!

Second most kudos: To Neither Give Nor Take Excuse (Bernie/Serena Holby City - AU crossover Bramwell) 600 kudos

This is one of my favorite things I have ever written. It came shockingly easy to me and I loved the process because I actually used a beta @jamieringo (the incomparable) who became a dear friend through the process. I was proud of this. I was writing in a time frame I enjoyed (it was set in Bramwell’s time period - old timey nurses are my fucking jam) and I was bouncing ideas off of a brilliant person who I just adore. 10/10 would recommend the process.

Third most comments: You’re the reason I had to stop telling lies (Ava/Deborah Hacks) 66 Comments

Okay I’m actually so happy with this one. It’s unfinished so don’t come for me, but I love the way it began. Wrote this for my bestie @badassbettyrizzo and she shames me every birthday for not finishing it. I know I will get to it, maybe after this season. It’s so hard to go back to the headspace when you’ve left the fic for a bit. This is, I think, the only Hacks fic I’ve written. Kind of crazy considering how easy a fandom can sway me.

Fourth most bookmarks: The House of Cards (Miranda/Andy DWP Sideshow AU) 91 Bookmarks

This was one of (if not the only) fics I’ve ever written with another author @ubiquitousmixie - and what an amazing writing partner to have! Guess you only have to do it once if your first time is as fulfilling as this one was! It was ages ago now but I remember sharing ideas back and forth, thinking up the trajectory of the story and plotting little moments along the path. We researched information and messaged it to each other, highlighting bits and pieces of real life sideshows that I think made it more compelling! I’m eternally grateful to have had this experience. She’s still one of my favorite authors!

Fifth most words: how memory is akin to remorse (Mademoiselle Julie/Olivia from Olivia (1951) 19,611 words

This is maybe my most favorite thing I’ve written in my whole life. I love this fic. I am not too modest to admit that I think it is actually in character and enjoyable to read. It helps that this fandom has maybe 5 fics total (so there is very little to compare it to currently) — but I loved living in the fancy world of Mlle Julie, aging Olivia to adulthood before exploring the possibility we all wondered as young lesbians - what if our beautiful female teacher ever loved us back.

Fic with the least words: Mirandy in Microfic (Miranda/Andy DWP)

What can I say, there was a time when Mirandy owned my whole ass. I was a lesbian in the early 2000s.

Final thoughts: I kind of expected more Berena to be on this list, and even some Abbott Elementary. I lived in a few popular fandoms for awhile but I’m so used to living on the periphery of popularity, in my little niche pairings that no one reads (I’m looking at you Marilla / Miss Stacy in Anne with an E). I guess, this is all to say, thanks for reading! I really do miss it.

To all you new little sweet Patti gaybies, still in the infancy of infatuation with our Queen, I remind you of the time she and fellow legend Christine Ebersole were in love. Two icons, one stage, their characters mostly separate for the entire show, and still they had more chemistry than those people in the Notebook. Anyways, anyways, anyways… this is my Richard and Elizabeth, my Sonny and Cher. If God is real she will reunite them in something very gay, very musical, very soon.